Hearing aid with a switching device for switching on and off and corresponding method

• US 7,522,739 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2005
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sivantos Gmbh (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Sinikallio, Riku, Rass, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elbin; Jesse A
• Application Number:
  US11/126,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20050254676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 381/318, 381/56, 381/60, 381/320, 381/324, 381/104, 381/107, 381/312, 381/321, 381/323, 381/328, 735/87
• US Class Current: 381/323
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements

Abstract

It is intended that the switching on and off of a hearing aid (I) should be made more user-friendly. To this end the hearing aid (I) is fitted with a temperature sensor (TS) to detect the body heat of the hearing aid wearer and therefore that the hearing aid is inserted in the auditory canal. The hearing aid is then switched on and off again based on the temperature signal. As an alternative to the temperature sensor, it is possible to use a pressure sensor to detect contact pressure of the hearing aid housing on the auditory canal, a resistance sensor to detect an electrical load resistance as a function of volume or an acoustic sensor to detect a sound level. It is also possible to switch the hearing aid (I) on and off wirelessly using a remote control.

Claims

1. A hearing aid, comprising a switching device for switching the hearing aid on and off, wherein:

the switching device includes a resistance sensor for detecting an electrical load resistance, a value of the electrical load resistance being determined by a size of the volume into which the hearing aid emits sound, wherein a first size of the volume is defined upon insertion of the hearing aid into an auditory canal of an user wearing the hearing aid, and a second size of the volume is defined upon deinsertion of the hearing aid from the auditory canal of the user, and

the switching device is adapted to automatically switch on and off the hearing aid based on the respective value of the electrical load resistance resulting upon insertion and deinsertion of the hearing aid relative to the auditory canal of the user.

2. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the switching device further comprises an element chosen from the group consisting of a heat flow sensor for detecting a body heat of a hearing aid user, a pressure sensor for detecting a contact pressure of a housing of the hearing aid against an auditory canal of a hearing aid user, an acoustic sensor for detecting a sound level and a remote control for wirelessly transmitting a switching signal to the hearing aid.

3. The hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein a switch-on signal for switching on the hearing aid is generated based on a first threshold value and a switch-off signal for switching off the hearing aid is generated based on a second threshold value, the first and second threshold values related to a physical value associated with the element.

4. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein a switch-on signal for switching on the hearing aid is generated based on a first threshold value and a switch-off signal for switching off the hearing aid is generated based on a second threshold value, the first and second threshold values related to the electrical load resistance.

5. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein switching on and off the hearing aid by the switching device includes switching the hearing aid from an operating mode to a stand by mode and from a stand by mode to an operating mode.

6. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein switching on and off the hearing aid by the switching device is based on a time signal.

7. The hearing aid according to claim 1, further including a housing for accommodating the hearing aid.

8. The hearing aid according to claim 7, wherein a battery is integrated in the housing.

9. A hearing aid according to claim 7, wherein the housing is watertight.

10. A method for switching a hearing aid on and off, comprising:

acquiring a resistance signal related to an electrical load resistance;

determining a value of the electrical load resistance based on a size of the volume into which the hearing aid emits sound, wherein a first size of the volume is defined upon insertion of the hearing aid into an auditory canal of an user wearing the hearing aid, and a second size of the volume is defined upon deinsertion of the hearing aid from the auditory canal of the user; and

deriving a switching signal for automatically switching the hearing aid on and off from the resistance signal related to the electrical load resistance resulting upon insertion and deinsertion of the hearing aid relative to the auditory canal of the user.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the switching signal is further derived from an element chosen from the group consisting of a heat flow sensor for detecting a body heat of a hearing aid user, a pressure sensor for detecting a contact pressure of a housing of the hearing aid against an auditory canal of a hearing aid user, an acoustic sensor for detecting a sound level and a remote control for wirelessly transmitting a switching signal to the hearing aid.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein a switch-on signal for switching on the hearing aid is generated based on a first threshold value and a switch-off signal for switching off the hearing aid is generated based on a second threshold value, the first and second threshold values related to a physical value associated with the element.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein a switch-on signal for switching on the hearing aid is generated based on a first threshold value and a switch-off signal for switching off the hearing aid is generated based on a second threshold value, the first and second threshold values related to the electrical load resistance.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein switching on and off the hearing aid by the switching device includes switching the hearing aid from an operating mode to a stand by mode and from a stand by mode to an operating mode.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein switching on and off the hearing aid is based on a time signal.